Gary Sain funeral: Tourism leader praised as creative visionary

Hundreds of members of the Orlando community gathered today to honor the life of Gary Sain, the consummate salesman who was a tireless promoter of Orlando and helped the destination gain national accolades.

Community leaders, tourism professionals, friends and family came to Northland Church to say farewell to the man some described as an Energizer Bunny, whose efforts led to Orlando being the first U.S. destination to reach 50 million visitors.

Sain, who was president and chief executive officer of Visit Orlando, made a living telling tourists around the globe that Orlando would make them smile.

Sain, 61, was recalled as a passionate competitor full of ideas, a jokester who cared deeply for his colleagues as well as his family.

The head of Visit Orlando died suddenly of a heart attack on May 4, after giving a speech for one of his favorite charities, the Boys & Girls Club.

"This is really a sad day for Orlando but also is a celebration of life, for the legacy that Gary has created for us," said Paul Tang, chairman of Visit Orlando. Tang praised Sain for his "creativity and his ability to pull people together for the cause."

Photos shown during the memorial depicted Sain at various community functions, surrounded by the mascots of Orlando and promoting the marketing campaigns that Visit Orlando launched during his tenure, including "Orlando Makes Me Smile."

"His visionary leadership in marketing our community made Orlando and Orange County the best place in the world to visit," said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. "His passing has left a huge hole in our hearts."

A health fanatic, Sain set a goal of doing 1,000 pushups on his 60th birthday — and met it by doing 1,100 instead. He was recalled as never having his trusty pedometer far from hand, and would take meetings and interviews while cramming in 10,000 steps a day.

Sain's family, including his wife Pamela and two daughters, recalled a doting dad who was a mentor and a cherished partner in life.

"Even with such a packed calendar, he always had time for us," Pamela Sain said. "He lived his life every day to the fullest, so I know there are no regrets for him."